Traditional Student—First-time college students who complete the first two years at UAB and then apply for admission to the School of Nursing for the upper-division nursing curriculum.

• Work with an assigned pre-nursing advisor through the UAB Office of General Studies during the first two years at the university
• Students who complete their pre-nursing curriculum at UAB are eligible for priority consideration for admission to the upper-division nursing curriculum as either Nursing Scholars or Pre-Nursing Scholars.

Transfer Student—Students who transfer from another university or two-year community college and complete all foundation and prerequisite courses elsewhere, then apply first to UAB and then to the School of Nursing for the upper-division nursing major.

• BSN foundational and general studies courses are the same as those taken by students who complete all course work at UAB.
• Two separate applications are required: one to the university and the second to the School of Nursing
• Students in this option will be assigned a pre-nursing advisor who will assist them in determining eligibility for application into the upper-division nursing major.

Second Degree—Students who have completed a previous undergraduate degree outside of the nursing discipline and who meet the UAB criteria for regular undergraduate admission.

• Applicants must have at least a baccalaureate degree in a non-nursing major that was earned at an accredited school or university, and the first degree must have been based upon at least 120 semester hours of earned credit.
• Students in this option must first apply to UAB where they are assigned a pre-nursing advisor who will assist them in determining eligibility for application to the upper-division major.

Current or Potential UAB Students

There are two special-entry programs available for students who are currently enrolled or intend to apply for admission to the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The first program is the UAB Nursing Scholars Program, directed toward high school seniors who have a minimum GPA of 3.2 and a composite ACT score of 25 or a composite SAT score of 1130. Applicants who meet these criteria may be granted early admission to the upper-division nursing major.

The second program is the UAB Pre-Nursing Scholars Program that is available to students who have completed the first two years enrolled at UAB. Pre-Nursing Scholars must maintain an overall GPA of 3.0 and a 3.2 GPA in all required nursing-foundation courses. Applicants to the upper-division major will be admitted to the BSN program, provided that all other requirements are met.

BSN Admission Process

To apply to the BSN program in the School of Nursing at UAB, two different application are submitted: UAB Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the UAB School of Nursing BSN application. Current UAB Undergraduate students need to submit only the UAB School of Nursing BSN application.

Admission as a degree-seeking, pre-nursing student through the UAB Office of Undergraduate admissions is the first step toward a major in nursing. Admission is based on high school and prior college course work, along with any necessary college-admission entrance exam scores. The online application for the UAB Office of Undergraduate Admissions is available at Application for UAB Undergraduate Admissions along with contact information.

Once admitted as an undergraduate pre-nursing student, the student is notified through an offer-of-admission letter to contact their assigned pre-nursing advisor in the Office of General Studies at 205-934-6135 for pre-nursing academic advisement. Advisement with the assigned pre-nursing advisor is a requirement for application to the School of Nursing.
At the scheduled appointment, the pre-nursing advisor will review the student's academic record, including an evaluation of any previous college course work to establish a plan for the sequencing of the pre-nursing courses that need to be completed before admission to the School of Nursing. The pre-nursing advisor will also explain the requirements and process for admission to the BSN Program.

When the student has either completed the required pre-nursing courses or is in the last semester of pre-nursing courses, the student is issued the School of Nursing BSN application by their assigned pre-nursing advisor.
The student completes the School of Nursing application and submits it and all additional application materials to the School of Nursing Student Affairs Office by the application deadline.

Admission Requirements

The minimum cumulative GPA for all traditional BSN applicants is 2.75 at the time of application (includes transfer students). Admission is competitive and is based on space available. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 does not guarantee admission to the School of Nursing.

Students are eligible to apply when they have successfully completed a minimum of 41 semester credit hours. Successful completion of all pre-nursing foundation courses with a "C" or above in each course must be met prior to matriculation into the nursing program.

Students offered admission to the School of Nursing who are enrolled in pre-nursing course work must make a "C" or better in every foundation course for the nursing major. The final minimum cumulative/overall Nursing Foundation Coursework GPA must be a 2.75 or greater.

Admission decisions are competitive and based on the applicant's academic record and application at the time of the application deadline. *All grades (UAB and other colleges/universities) from previous terms must be posted on the applicant's UAB transcript by the application deadline.

A resume outlining health-care interest/experience, campus/community involvement, leadership, and employment is due by the application deadline.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide proof of work/volunteer experience in a health-care setting as part of the application process. The health-care work is to be documented by letters from a supervisor (on agency letterhead) and/or time sheets and must consist of a minimum of 60 hours of paid or volunteer work in a health-care setting. Completion of a nursing-skills course does not meet this criterion.

Applicants to the School of Nursing are strongly recommended to demonstrate a record of full-time study and a minimum number of course repeats/grade forgiveness options.

Admission Decisions

Admission decisions will be based on the applicant's academic record, supporting documents, and BSN application at the time of the application deadline. Applicants are strongly encouraged to provide proof of work/volunteer experience in a health-care setting as part of the application process. This experience is not required for admission but may factor into the admission decision.

Special Options for Traditional BSN Admission
The UAB Nursing Scholars program for entering freshmen is a special early-admission option for academically qualified high school seniors who have an ACT score of 25 or above or a composite SAT score of 1130, and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2. This option ensures admission to the nursing program as long as a minimum GPA of 3.2 is maintained in the BSN foundation courses and a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 is maintained. The UAB Pre-Nursing Scholars program is a special option for native UAB students (attended UAB for all university course work). Students who maintain a 3.2 GPA on all BSN foundation course work and who have a cumulative 3.0 GPA are guaranteed admission to the nursing program.

Prior to Enrollment for Upper-Division Nursing Courses

-CPR certification will be due prior to registration for upper-division courses. The following courses meet this requirement:

• American Heart Association's Healthcare Provider Course (Course C or BLSC)
• American Red Cross's Professional Rescuer Course

          -Medical clearance is required prior to registration for all upper-division nursing courses.

-A background check and drug screen will be completed.

Applicants will receive an admissions decision a minimum of four weeks after application for the semester for which they are applying.

Future updates on the BSN admission process will be posted on the School of Nursing Web site, will be available from your pre-nursing advisor, and sent to your "@uab.edu" e-mail address. If you have any questions concerning these changes, please feel free to contact the School of Nursing Office of Student Affairs.

*Traditional Students are those students who seek to enter the undergraduate BSN program and are not a RN.